Two Dazzling Meteor Showers Will Be Visible Canada This Month & Here's How To Spot Them
They'll both peak in November!
Taurids meteor shower in California.
Look up, Canada! Two meteor showers will light up the skies this month and you can view the dazzling displays with your very own eyes.
November is set to be a period of many stunning astronomical events, including the Taurids and Leonids meteor showers, which are both set to peak this month.
You'll want to grab a blanket, a warm drink and lay out somewhere under the stars for the spectacular shows.
According to NASA, every year from September to November the Taurids meteor shower is created when the Earth passes through a stream of debris left behind Encke's Comet.
The Taurids, which are divided into southern and northern meteors, are seen in the sky as fireballs. The southern Taurids, which are currently active, will peak on the night of November 4.
The northern Taurids will next peak on November 11, according to the American Meteor Society, which also says that this year there may be an increase in fireball activity.
The Taurids can be seen whenever the constellation Taurus is above the horizon, in the months of September, October and November, NASA says.
According to the government agency, the best time to look for the meteors is after midnight, when the constellation is high in the sky and the conditions are dark and clear.
A bit later in the month, Canadians will be treated to another dazzling display with the peak of the Leonids meteor shower.
The Leonids are bright, colourful meteors that come from debris left behind by comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, a comet that takes 33 years to orbit the sun.
The Leonids is said to be a major meteor shower that produces some of the fastest fireballs and "Earth-grazer" meteors, which are seen close to the horizon and are known for having long and colorful tails.
Although the Leonids shower can have meteor rates as low as 15 or so per hour, NASA says that every 33 years, viewers on Earth "may experience a Leonid storm that can peak with hundreds to thousands of meteors seen per hour depending on the location of the observer."
The best time to watch the show is at about midnight, in an area away from city lights.
According to NASA, you'll have a good chance of seeing quite a few meteors as the shower will last until dawn.
What is the next major celestial event?
The meteor showers aren't the only celestial events Canadians will be treated to this month.
On November 8, a blood moon total lunar eclipse will take place and will be visible across North America.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, during a lunar eclipse, the Earth, sun and moon stand in a line with the Earth in the middle, causing the planet’s shadow to be cast onto the moon.
This gives the full moon a red hue, and is how it earned its nickname, the “blood moon.”
The eclipse will reach its peak around 6 a.m. ET on Tuesday, so dress warm and keep your eyes on the skies!
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